Cursed
by Mahichu
Summary: Watanuki is hiding and no one seems to know what it is. When Watanuki suddenly falls ill, will the secret that not even Yuko knows be revealed or will the secret be buried with him?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

My Internet connection is acting up again so to pass the time I'm typing, because I'd rather not be studying.

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Prologue

Watanuki Kimihiro, a boy who had been cursed with the ability to see spirits, quietly made his way home. His clear blue eyes reflected his tiredness after another hard day of work at Yuko's shop. Yuko, who happened to be a witch that granted wishes, always made him work an awful lot and Watanuki could almost feel a grudge against the woman.

"I'm so tired," Watanuki complained. He stopped walking for a moment and then looked in the glass of a car window that had been packed on the street. For a moment, Watanuki could have sworn that he saw a flash of gold in one of his eyes. Watanuki smiled and covered the eye with his hand. It was the eye that Doumeki, one of his fellow classmates, had given up to allow him to see again. They now shared half of the same eye.

Watanuki removed his hand for his face and then began to walk again. He was thinking about his friend when a strong gust of wind blew past Watanuki and pushed him off his feet. The boy winced in pain when he fell and all his things scattered around him.

"Ouch," Watanuki mumbled as he gathered his fallen possessions and then got back to his feet. He brushed the dirt off his clothes and then made his way home.

Watanuki didn't seem to notice the strange stiffness in his back and shoulders and just continued on his way.

* * *

Yuko was sitting on her porch, smoking when she suddenly felt a strange vile aura in the air. She looked up at the moon in the sky and frowned.

"Something bad is going to happen," she whispered. A black Mokona waddled its way beside the witch with a bottle of liqueur in his hand.

"Bad vibes?" he questioned.

Maru and Moro rushed onto the porch and stood behind their mistress.

"Bad vibes. Bad vibes," they chanted. Yuko remained silent, hoping that the horrible foreboding feeling would go away.

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It's short for a chapter. I hope that you're interested. Please Review.

Ja ne


	2. Cursed with a Secret

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

My Internat is acting up, so if I don't update for a while then that's the reason.

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Chapter 1 – Cursed with a secret

Watanuki woke up early as usual and made lunch for himself and Doumeki. The cook found it funny that he continued to cook for the archer even though he kept on complaining. When he was done cooking, Watanuki packed away the lunches and then headed out.

Watanuki walked slowly towards the school and then decided to take the long way around.

"I still have lots of time before school starts so I might as well take my time," Watanuki stated. He walked until he stopped in front of a temple. A man was sweeping the temple grounds. He had short black hair and golden coloured eyes. The man looked up when he saw Watanuki and gave the other a bored look.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Watanuki blushed and then quickly hid his reddening with an angry expression.

"I'm allowed to so whatever I want! I'm here because I felt like it," Watanuki replied in fake anger. Doumeki gave the other his usual bored expression. He was about to turn back to his sweeping when Watanuki suddenly broke out in a coughing fit. The boy dropped everything to the ground and put his hands over his mouth before falling to his knees.

Doumeki threw his broom aside and rushed to Watanuki's side to help him, but as the archer approached the other boy, Watanuki stopped coughing and brought his breathing back under control. Doumeki rubbed Watanuki's back until he knew he was sure that the other was all right.

"Are you sick?" Doumeki questioned.

"No…I don't think so. I think I might have caught a cold while walking home last night. It was really cold," Watanuki replied as he got back to his feet. He picked up his things again and then smiled at the other boy.

"I'm fine. It was probably nothing worth worrying about," Watanuki whispered, his voice slightly hoarse from all the coughing. Doumeki frowned and then turned his back to Watanuki before heading inside the temple. A few minutes later, the archer came back with something in his hands. He approached Watanuki and wrapped a scarf around the other's neck. Watanuki blushed and made a move to remove the scarf, but Doumeki only tightened it around his heck.

"Keep it on," Doumeki ordered.

"I don't have to!" Watanuki shouted. He winced and let out a small cough.

"Please," Doumeki added. Watanuki lowered his gaze to the ground and nodded his head. When Doumeki was satisfied that Watanuki would listen to him, he returned to his yard work.

"I'm going to be leaving now," Watanuki stated. He returned around and made a move to leave, but Doumeki easily stopped him.

"I'm almost done sweeping. Can you wait for me?" Doumeki asked. Watanuki seemed surprised by the request of his stoic schoolmate and calmly nodded his head. Doumeki rushed to finish the rest of his morning chores and then quickly changed into his school uniform before joining Watanuki. They both began to walk to school together.

"Are you going to Yuko's shop after school?" Doumeki asked. Watanuki nodded and smiled when he noticed that the archer was worrying about him. Suddenly Doumeki stopped walking and gave Watanuki a strange look.

"What's wrong?" Watanuki asked.

"I can see through that eye," Doumeki stated as he pointed to the eye that he had 'donated' to the other boy. They had both discovered that when Watanuki was feeling strong emotions then Doumeki could 'see' what Watanuki could see through their shared vision.

Watanuki blushed and covered the eye that was causing all the trouble.

"It must be weird seeing yourself through your own eye," Watanuki commented. Doumeki shrugged as if he could care less about what was happening.

"I'm getting used to it. It's been happening a lot lately when you've been looking at me," Doumeki replied. Watanuki blushed even darker and then laughed nervously.

"For your question earlier. I'm going to work with Yuko tonight. She's probably going to keep me late again as usual," Watanuki said.

"I'll walk with you then," Doumeki stated.

"There's no need to do that," Watanuki replied as he tried to convince the archer that his assistance really wasn't needed. Doumeki observed Watanuki for a moment before he nodded and took the others explanations.

"Thanks for the scarf. I'll give it back to you tomorrow," Watanuki said as they arrived on the school on the school grounds. Doumeki stared at him once again before looking ahead.

"Keep it," he stated and without another word, Doumeki walked into the school building. Watanuki watched him leave and then smiled. He tightened the scarf around his neck.

'_It smells like Doumeki,' _he thought.

* * *

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Like usual, Watanuki ate lunch with Doumeki, While Himawari, another one of his friends, couldn't come because she was busy.

When the end of the day came by, Watanuki wrapped the scarf around his neck and made his way to Yuko's shop, where he would probably slave away until he dropped down from exhaustion. When Watanuki arrived at the shop, the moment he opened the door, Mugetsu 1, the kudakitsune, jumped at him and immediately hid itself in his clothes.

"Mugetsu! That tickles," Watanuki complained, but the moment he raised his voice, Watanuki began to cough.

"Watanuki," a longhaired woman said as she approached the man through the hall. Watanuki looked up and gave her a strained smile.

"Yuko-san," he murmured. Mugetsu stopped his squirming when he sensed Watanuki's pain. Yuko stared at him and then she turned her back to him.

"Come with me," she ordered and without waiting for a response she walked away. Watanuki left his things at the entrance and then quickly followed his employer. Yuko brought him to the porch where they both sat down and watched as the sun began to set.

Mokona, Maru and Moro walked to the porch and stood behind them.

"Maru…Moro…Please go make some tea," Yuko ordered. Both soulless girls nodded and rushed back inside the house. Watanuki made a move to stand up.

"You don't have to send them. I could have gone to make it," he stated. Yuko gave him a serious stare and Watanuki immediately sat back down.

"I'm sorry, but you must stay down. We need to talk," Yuko stated.

"A very serious talk," Mokona said as he placed himself between Yuko and Watanuki.

"About?" Watanuki questioned.

"You haven't been feeling well lately right?" she began. Watanuki gave her a suspicious look.

"Right," he responded.

"There is a reason for that. Last night, something happened to you that changed you over night. You have been cursed," she explained.

"Cursed?" Watanuki repeated.

"Last night you were probably thinking about a secret that you hold dear to your heart. The curse has been activated through this secret. If you do not tell that secret to the one it concerns then you'll probably die. Your health will slowly decline and then you will die," Yuko explained.

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1 Watanuki finally named the pipe fox in the 11th volume.

Please Review


	3. Calling for Aid

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

Watch out. There's a spoiler for the manga here. So beware.

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Chapter 2 – Calling for aid.

Watanuki stared at Yuko with expression of shock written on his face. There was also disbelief and rejection.

"I'm going to die…" he whispered.

"If you don't tell your secret then yes, you will die," Yuko stated. Watanuki thought about the previous day and tried to remember what he had been thinking about when he was walking home. When realization came to him, Watanuki blushed.

"I don't know what secret that might be," he lied easily. Yuko raised an eyebrow at him, but decided not to comment on the fact that he had just lied to her.

"Who would put a curse on me like this?" Watanuki questioned.

"It's not who. It's more like what. The spirits that haunt you to be exact. One of them must have cursed you. You mustn't have noticed it flying around you because you were too deep in thought," Yuko explained.

"I see," Watanuki mumbled.

"Why don't you take the day off?" Yuko offered. Watanuki nodded and slowly stood up.

"Keep Mugetsu with you. The payment of the rain sprite should go to you because you did all the work," Yuko added. The kudakitsune purred happily and placed little kisses over Watanuki's face. The boy was comforted by this action and let a small smile appear on his face.

"Thank you," he said. Watanuki made his way to the front door and grabbed his things before leaving. Back inside the house, Yuko stood up and walked past Maru and Moro, who were holding two trays with teacups. Yuko went to the phone and picked it up. She dialled a number and waited for the person on the other side to pick up.

"Moshi moshi," the person on the other side greeted.

"I need you to come here immediately. There's an emergency," Yuko stated.

* * *

Fifteen after the phone call, Doumeki Shizuka stood in front of Yuko's shop. There had once been a time when he hadn't been able to see the shop, but ever since Watanuki had fallen out of the school window he had been able to see the old run down shop. He had only been able to see it because he had a wish at the time. He had wanted to save Watanuki's life and the price for that wish was to replace all the blood that Watanuki had lost with his own.

It had been the most petrifying sight of his life. He had been walking by the side of the building when Watanuki toppled out of the window and came crashing towards the ground. He had immediately called the ambulance and it had almost been too late to save Watanuki's life.

Now, the archer once again stood in front of the shop after an urgent call from Yuko. Doumeki knew that if Yuko called him then it would only mean that Watanuki was once again in serious trouble.

Doumeki took a deep breath and entered the shop where he was greeted by Maru and Moro.

"The mistress is waiting," Moro announced.

"She is waiting," Maru repeated.

Doumeki followed the two girls to the thin sliding door.

"She is inside," both girls said. Doumeki nodded and opened the door before closing it behind him. Yuko was sitting in a chair at a small round table. They were teacups on the table and a teapot. Doumeki sat in the only available chair in the room, which was in front of Yuko.

"You arrived quickly," Yuko stated.

"When I'm told that something is an emergency than I will do my best to get there as fast as I can," Doumeki responded.

"Especially if Watanuki is involved," Yuko teased. Doumeki glared at her, but decided that it was best if he didn't comment.

"What is the emergency?" Doumeki questioned.

"I've already informed Watanuki about all the details so to make things short, Watanuki was cursed by a spirit. This curse works through a secret that he's never told anyone, but considers to be very important. If he doesn't tell anyone the secret then he'll probably die," Yuko explained Doumeki frowned at this.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Because you'll have an easier time finding out what this secret is than anyone else would. The secret that not even I know," Yuko said. Doumeki gave her a surprised look.

"You don't know it?" he stated.

"I don't," she replied.

"That's really surprising," he added. Yuko picked up her teacup and brought it to her lips to take a sip.

"Will you help?" she asked. Doumeki stood up from his chair and then glared at her.

"Of course," he whispered. Yuko smiled and watched as Doumeki turned his back to her and then made his way out of the shop.

"Good luck," Yuko whispered when he was gone.

* * *

Watanuki sat with his back against the wall and tried to relax his tense body.

'_This isn't the first time that I've had to come face to face with death…so why am I so afraid. Actually it might have something to do with the fact that to survive I'll have to admit that I…No! I mustn't think about it,' _Watanuki thought as he quickly shook his head. Mugetsu, who still remained underneath Watanuki's clothes, slithered through Watanuki's collar and gave his master a worried look. Watanuki brought his hand up to touch the woolly fabric of the scarf that he still wore around his neck.

Watanuki curled up into a ball with his arms around his knees.

"I don't want to die," he whispered.

Mugetsu yipped and then kissed Watanuki's figure once again, trying to comfort the other.

* * *

Doumeki left Yuko's shop and then slowly headed home. He was thinking about what Yuko had told him. Maybe if he tried hard enough then he'd be able to convince Watanuki to tell him his secret.

Doumeki sighed.

'_At times like this I really wish that grandfather hadn't died. He would have been good help in a situation like this, and there's also the fact that Watanuki trusts him,' _Doumeki thought. It was true. Watanuki had often told him about having dreams about Haruka, his grandfather. Watanuki was always so happy when they talked about Haruka, which almost made Doumeki jealous of the older man.

Before he knew what was happening, he had arrived at the temple where he lived. Doumeki sighed and entered the temple and changed into his temple outfit. He began to do his usual chores and then when he was done he went to his room.

"Watanuki…" he whispered.

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Please Review.

Ja ne


	4. Persuasion

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

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Chapter 3 – Persuasion

The next day, Watanuki woke up later than usual and rushed to get his things ready for school. He rushed to make lunch for himself and Doumeki before he ran out of his small apartment.

Just as he exited the building, Watanuki ran into another body and was almost pushed to the ground. Thankfully, the figure managed to catch him before he had the chance to fall to the ground. Watanuki looked up at the man and then smiled when he saw a familiar pair golden eyes.

"Doumeki," he greeted.

"Hm," Doumeki responded.

"Why are you here? Doesn't coming to my apartment bring you farther away from school instead of closer?" Watanuki stated as he began to walk. Doumeki quickly followed him and they both walked side by side.

"I just felt like it," Doumeki stated. He looked out of the corner of his eye and looked at Watanuki, expecting the other boy to start yelling. He was strangely surprised when Watanuki remained quiet.

"What?" Watanuki asked as he noticed Doumeki staring at him.

"Yuko called me last night," he said. Watanuki tensed up and then pretended that his reaction hadn't happened. Doumeki observed the others reaction without a word.

"Did she tell you?" he asked.

"She told me," Doumeki answered. Watanuki sighed and looked at the blue sky above them.

"There's nothing I can do about it. I'm going to die because of a secret that I can't even remember," Watanuki replied. It was a small lie, but Watanuki didn't want the other to discover his secret. He knew that he was going to die, but he would rather die then tell his secret to anyone. Doumeki continued to watch him.

"Yuko told me that you already know what it is," he said. Watanuki looked away from Doumeki's piercing gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Watanuki lied. Doumeki frowned and pushed Watanuki against the fence near the street. Watanuki let out a yelp of pain and Mugetsu immediately slithered out of Watanuki's pocket and then pocked his head through the scarf that Watanuki wore around his neck. Doumeki's eyes lingered on the scarf before he looked into Watanuki's eyes.

"Don't lie to me. Please. Never lie to me again," Doumeki whispered. Watanuki stood there in shock and then a sad look appeared on his face.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Don't apologize!" Doumeki shouted. Watanuki winced at the loudness of the other's voice. Doumeki's eyes went wide when he realized that he had let his aggravation get the better of him. Doumeki immediately noticed the hurt look on Watanuki's face and before he realized what he was doing, Doumeki pulled the smaller boy forward and their lips met.

Watanuki's eyes went wide, but a moment later he closed his eyes. He dropped the objects he was carrying and wrapped his arms around Doumeki's neck.

When Doumeki pulled away, he saw Watanuki's flushed figure and the glazed look in his eyes. Doumeki took a step back and then looked away. If someone looked closely then they would be able to see a slight tinge of red on his cheeks.

Neither of then said a word. Doumeki just took Watanuki's hand and dragged him to the rest of the way to school. When they arrived, Himawari, a girl with long black hair, ran towards them.

"Good morning," she greeted. Watanuki was about to greet when a small series of coughs passed through him. When it was over, Himawari gave him a worried look and patted him gently on the back.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Watanuki nodded his head and then was about to walk forward when something hit him hard in the back. Watanuki yelped in pain and then fell forward, only to be caught by Doumeki. Doumeki was glaring at someone behind Watanuki. The injured boy looked at the ground and then saw a basketball rolling at his feet.

"Watch where you're throwing that thing!" Doumeki shouted angrily.

"I'm so sorry! For some reason the ball slipped from my hands before I could do anything," a freshman stated as he rushed to get his ball. Doumeki continued to glare at him and then picked up Watanuki before heading towards the infirmary.

As they left, Himawari clearly saw the kudakitsune poke his head through Watanuki's sleeve. The girl could have sworn that the little creature had been glaring at her.

* * *

"The bruising will hurt for awhile, but there should be no permanent damage. It's hard to believe that this was caused by one basketball," the school nurse stated as she examined Watanuki's injuries. The nurse placed some cream on the bruises and then wrapped his back with some soft bandages.

Watanuki put back on his shirt and then stretched his sore muscles.

"I'm going to be sore through all my classes," he complained.

"There's nothing I can do about the soreness so you'll just have to endure it until it heals," the nurse said. Watanuki nodded and quickly left the infirmary with Doumeki, who still refused to leave his side.

Suddenly Watanuki stopped walking and then turned to face Doumeki, who stopped walking when the other boy stopped.

"About this morning…the…" Watanuki began, but his phrase was cut off when Mugetsu sprang out of his pocket and once again jumped under his clothes before squirming around. Doumeki watched with a frown and then immediately grabbed the kudakitsune's talk when he saw a flash of yellow. The small fox gave him an odd look and struggled against the tight hold. Doumeki waited until the spirit stopped squirming and then stared it down.

"Be careful when you're moving around Watanuki's clothes. He's injured and I doubt you want to make him feel more pain than he already needs to feel," Doumeki warned. Mugetsu nodded his small head to show that he understood and the archer placed him back on Watanuki's arm, where Mugetsu immediately curled up around the cook's arm and then got comfortable.

Watanuki smiled at the pipe fox and then petted its head softly. The little fox purred happily under the attention.

"Mugetsu. You'll become spoiled if you continue to lavish all the attention that is given to you," Watanuki joked. Doumeki observed the pipe fox curiously.

"It's kind of unusual to see Mugetsu with you when he's not supposed to be here," Doumeki said.

"Last night when Yuko talked me about my…problem, she said that he would officially belong to me from now on because I was the one who did most of the work for the rain sprite. Mugetsu is now mine," Watanuki explained. Mugetsu yipped happily and then unwrapped itself from Watanuki's arm enough so that he could kiss his master's face. Watanuki smiled and then opened his mouth to say something, but he instantly began to cough again.

"Are you going to work tonight?" Doumeki questioned. Watanuki slowly nodded his head and made his way over towards his classroom.

"I'll come and help them," Doumeki announced.

"What! But what about your chores around the temple? I thought you were always busy with all the things you had to do," Watanuki responded as he gave his friend a disbelieving look.

"The temple will survive if I don't sweep one day," Doumeki stated as he watched Watanuki. Watanuki sighed when he noticed that the archer could do whatever he wanted regardless of his opinion on the matter.

"Do what you want," Watanuki whispered as he headed to his first class of the morning. Doumeki smiled at the other's back and then smirked.

"I will."

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Please review.

Ja ne


	5. Part Time Job

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

Thank you for all your reviews. I really appreaciate it.

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Chapter 4 - Part time job 

"Welcome," Maru and Moro greeted as Watanuki and Doumeki entered the shop. Watanuki smiled at them and then walked to the room where he knew Yuko would be. Doumeki quietly followed him without a word. Watanuki opened one of the doors and then stepped in.

Yuko was lying on the couch while smoking her pipe. When both boys entered, she looked up and let out a thick puff of smoke.

"Hello," she greeted. Doumeki nodded his head in greeting and then watched as Watanuki looked at the state of the room. Empty sake bottles littered the floor. Mokona was also on the floor unconscious because of the alcohol that he had ingested.

"Yuko! Look at the state of this place. I leave you for one day and you've already made a mess of the whole place," Watanuki complained.

"Watanuki…" Yuko whined, "I want some sake…and I'm hungry."

Her stomach growled loudly to prove her point. Watanuki sighed and then slowly shook his head.

"Fine. I'll make something for you to eat," he stated. He turned around and then headed towards the kitchen. Doumeki stayed behind and gave the witch an unimpressed expression.

"This place is filthy," he said bluntly.

"This is what happens when Watanuki takes a break from work. There's no one to clean after me when he's gone," Yuko said.

"He's not your slave."

"But isn't he yours? He makes you lunch every single day and you always ask things of him. Tell me. Why have you come here?" she asked. Doumeki glanced at the door that Watanuki had passed through and then he turned back to Yuko.

"I don't want him to die and I'll do whatever it takes to keep him alive," Doumeki vowed. He glanced once more at Yuko before he went after Watanuki.

He found the cook slaving away in the kitchen.

"What are you making?" Doumeki asked.

"Tempura," Watanuki replied. He reached out for some carrots, but he ended up pulling his hand to cover up a cough. Doumeki approached Watanuki and then pulled the hand over the others mouth away. He looked deep within Watanuki's eyes. The boy blinked and then blushed.

"Tell me what to do and I'll help," Doumeki offered.

Watanuki blinked and then smiled.

"It would be nice if you helped," he responded with a thankful expression.

With both of them working together, the meal and sake were ready by the time super came around the corner.

"What's next to do?" Doumeki asked after they had brought everything to Yuko.

"Let's see…" Watanuki began, "There's the cleaning, the dusting, then serving more alcohol to Yuko when she calls and then making dessert."

Doumeki gave his friend a disbelieving look.

"And you do this everyday?" Doumeki asked. Watanuki put a miserable expression on his face and nodded.

"Yes, but sometimes Yuko finds some strange tasks to give to me and then there's the spirit hunting trips where she sells me off to her customer," Watanuki explained.

"It seems more tiring then the temple chores I do every day," Doumeki commented.

"You have no idea," Watanuki mumbled.

There rest of the night was spent doing chores and when all the working was done, it was already pretty late in the night. Both boys exited the shop and then Watanuki began to walk to his apartment, but Doumeki grabbed the other's wrist before he could wander too far away. Watanuki turned and gave his friend a confused look.

"My house is closer than yours and it's already late. You should come to stay with me tonight," Doumeki offered. Watanuki thought about the offer for a moment and then realised that he really was tired. He agreed to the offer and slowly followed Doumeki back home.

When they arrived at the temple, Doumeki immediately brought Watanuki to an old unused room and set up the futon for the other to sleep on.

"This used to be my grandfather's room, but now it's been vacant ever since he passed away. Nothing had been moved since he died," Doumeki explained. Watanuki gazed at all the old objects that had been placed in the room. All in all, the atmosphere in the room was extremely peaceful and relaxing.

"This is Haruka-san's room?" Watanuki whispered. Doumeki stared at Watanuki for a moment before he looked away.

"I'll lend you some clothes to sleep in," Doumeki said as he walked out of the unused room. Watanuki watched him leave and then placed his things neatly near the door before he began to explore the room.

There were many old books and artefacts. Mugetsu pooped his head out of Watanuki's clothes and yipped happily as he observed the object in the room. Watanuki turned back towards the door when he heard Doumeki come back with the clothes that Watanuki would wear for the night.

"Here," Doumeki said as he handed the clothes to Watanuki.

"Thanks," Watanuki said as he took the clothes. The boys said goodnight to each other and then Watanuki closed the door so he could change. When he had changed clothes, Watanuki folded his school uniform and placed them near his things. When that task was done, Watanuki closed the light and went to the futon where he almost instantly fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

_Watanuki stood in a field of grass. The sky was dark above him so the boy immediately knew that this was a dream._

"_It's been a long time since I've seen you," said a familiar voice from behind Watanuki. The boy turned around and saw a man that looked exactly like Doumeki. It resembled him and yet Watanuki could sense that it wasn't him. The spiritually honed boy smiled._

"_Haruka-san!" he greeted. _

_During their meetings, Haruka always took the form of the current Doumeki, who was said to be very close to Watanuki. The man smiled and walked beside Watanuki. They both lay down in the grass and then stared at the starry sky above them._

"_Something's bothering you. I can tell," Haruka stated. A sad look appeared on Watanuki's face. _

"_I'm going to die soon just because I can't bring myself to tell the secret that I cherish the most," Watanuki explained. Haruka was quiet for a moment and then he smiled at the unsure boy. _

"_A secret is a very important thing for a person. Someone can't just tell something like that so randomly," Haruka said quietly. There was a slight pause before Haruka began to speak again. "Though you should trust Shizuka. He cares very deeply for you."_

_Watanuki blushed as he remembered the passionate kiss that the two of them had shared. He brought his fingers to his lips. Haruka saw this action and laughed. _

"_So Shizuka finally made a move. It took him long enough," Haruka teased. Watanuki blushed even harder and pulled his hand away from his face._

"_What do you mean?" Watanuki asked. Haruka laughed again. _

"_I can't give you all the answers, but it will be more interesting to watch how Shizuka does from now on," Haruka said. Watanuki gave the other a confused look, but Haruka refused to expand on his statement. Watanuki sighed and closed his eyes. _

_Haruka smiled and passed his fingers through Watanuki's hair in a calming gesture. _

"_You'll be fine," Haruka whispered. _

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Please review. 

Ja ne


	6. Next Stage

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

Thank you for all your reviews. I appreciate that you take the time to give me your comments. I'm trying to update as much as possible before my Internet dies on me again.

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Chapter 5 – Next Stage

Watanuki awoke the next morning feeling extremely cold, but no matter what he did, he couldn't warm himself up.

A knock came on the door, but Watanuki didn't reply. Mugetsu was the one who ended up having to yip loudly to give the person on the other side on the door permission to enter. The door opened and Doumeki stepped into the room.

The first thing that Doumeki noticed was how Watanuki was curled up in a ball. He rushed towards the other teen and pulled the blanket off Watanuki. He took the other's hand in his and shivered when he felt the icy coldness of the Watanuki's skin.

"So cold," Watanuki mumbled. He coughed and then tried to curl up even tighter, but Doumeki wouldn't let him. He grabbed Watanuki's other wrist with his free hand and then used his superior strength to pull Watanuki's body against his own. Watanuki's immediately clung onto Doumeki when he felt the warmth radiating off the other boy.

"You're so warm," Watanuki mumbled. Doumeki smiled when the other boy began to regain some color he had before. When Watanuki's pulled away, there was a blush on his face. Even though Watanuki was still cold, it wasn't as unbearable as before. Doumeki observed Watanuki and then took in the other boy's appearance. The clothes that Doumeki had given to Watanuki were too big for the other boy, so the shirt hung off Watanuki's slim figure and slipped off his shoulders to reveal the pale skin underneath.

Doumeki immediately got up and walked to the door before he did something that he would regret later on. The archer glanced at Watanuki.

"I'm going outside to do my morning chores," Doumeki said.

Watanuki watched the other boy leave the room and then quietly got ready for school. He put on his school uniform and quietly gathered his things before heading outside. He saw Doumeki sweeping the grounds like usual in his Hakama.

"I'll help," Watanuki offered.

Doumeki stopped what he was doing for a moment and then looked at Watanuki with a serious expression.

"I'd rather you just stay there. Don't forget that you're still ill," Doumeki responded. When he got his point across, Doumeki returned to the sweeping and Watanuki watched him work.

"I had another dream about Haruka-san last night," Watanuki stated.

"Oh," Doumeki said as he continued his task without being disturbed. Watanuki took his answer as a sign to continue talking.

"He told me some good advice…Actually he told me to tell you the secret that I've been keeping," Watanuki explained as he let a small smile appear on his face. Doumeki paused for a moment before he turned back to his task.

"You should," Doumeki answered.

"He also mentioned something like you've finally made a move and it took you long enough. When I asked him what he meant, he only laughed and said that I would have to figure it out for myself. You're grandfather is o mysterious," Watanuki stated as he recalled everything that had happened in his dream the previous night.

'_And nosy,' _Doumeki added mentally. He understood what his grandfather had been hinting at and he would have preferred if the older man had stayed quiet.

"Are you almost done?" Watanuki asked as he watched Doumeki. The archer nodded and slowly approached the temple steps, where Watanuki had been sitting.

"Wait here. I'll go get changed," Doumeki said. Watanuki nodded and waited quietly. Mugetsu slithered out of Watanuki's sleeve and smiled at his master.

"Good Morning Mugetsu," he greeted. The kudakitsune yipped happily and then curled around Watanuki's neck. He yipped again and then curled tighter around Watanuki's neck, trying to tell him something.

"Oh! The scarf! It was warm last night so I took it off," he said. Mugetsu made a sound of disapproval. Watanuki sighed and took out the scarf that Doumeki had given him before wrapping it around his own neck. Mugetsu purred happily when extra layer of warmth was added on top of him. Though Watanuki couldn't blame Mugetsu for being cold. His own body temperature was way below usual and his skin was almost icy.

A moment later, Doumeki exited the temple with his school bag in his hand. Watanuki stood up from his spot and they both began to walk to school.

"Are you still cold?" Doumeki asked.

"I'm alright," Watanuki replied.

Doumeki reached out for Watanuki's hand, but the other boy quickly pulled it away before Doumeki could grab it. Watanuki glared at the other student, but the usual heat in his gaze wasn't there anymore. Me felt too tired for needless fighting.

"I said I was fine so don't have to constantly check up on me," Watanuki complained. The truth was that he was getting colder and colder without any means to warm himself up, but he didn't want the other to needlessly worry about him.

"Watanuki! Doumeki!" someone shouted as they approached the school gates. Both boys looked up and saw Himawari waiting for them. Watanuki smiled and rushed to the girl's side.

"Himawari-chan," he said quietly. He didn't want to raise his voice too loudly because he knew he would start coughing again.

"How are your injuries?" Himawari asked.

"I'm just a little sore. If I hadn't seen the bandages when I changed then I probably would have forgotten completely about it," Watanuki responded. A worried look appeared on Himawari's face.

"Are you sure?" she said. Watanuki nodded to comfort the girl's feelings.

"We have to hurry or else we'll be late for class," Doumeki announced. Himawari and Watanuki nodded and all three of them headed inside the building. They all made it in time to attend homeroom.

The day passed by uneventfully. When lunch finally came, Watanuki realized that he hadn't made anything and was forced to buy his lunch at the cafeteria. The three schoolmates decided to eat lunch outside under their usual tree.

"It's so hot today," Himawari commented as she tried to fan herself with her hand. Watanuki decided not to comment because, unlike Himawari, he was freezing cold. Doumeki noticed his silence and stared at the boy. Usually Watanuki would make a large scene to try to catch the girl's attention, but the archer found it strange that the other boy had remained quiet for so long.

"You okay?" Doumeki asked when Himawari had returned to her lunch. Watanuki slowly nodded his head and quickly finished his lunch. Both other students gave him an odd look as he stuffed his mouth.

"Why are you eating so fast? Do you have somewhere to go after you finish eating?" Himawari asked. Watanuki shook his head as he finished his meal.

"No, I just want to take a nap," Watanuki answered as he yawned tiredly to prove him point. He packed away all his things and then lay on the grass beside Doumeki. It didn't take long for the boy to fall into a peaceful slumber.

"Watanuki must have been really tired if he wanted to sleep so badly," Himawari commented as she put her lunch aside and approached her sleeping friend.

"He told me that he slept really well last night so it can't be that he didn't get enough sleep," Doumeki stated. Himawari gave Watanuki a worried look and touched his forehead. She quickly pulled her hand back in shock.

Doumeki watched her carefully.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"He's so cold," Himawari responded. She reached out to try to touch the other boy again, but Mugetsu emerged from Watanuki's shirt and glared angrily at the girl. When Himawari continued to reach for Watanuki, Mugetsu growled and attempted to bite the girl's fingers. This caused Himawari to pull back in fear of getting hurt.

Doumeki gave the kudakitsune a worried look and then reached out to touch it with his won hand. Mugetsu accepted the touch, but he continued to glare at the girl that remained too close to Watanuki's side for his comfort.

"I don't think he likes me," she whispered. Doumeki didn't say anything and continued to pet the aggravated kudakitsune.

None of them noticed the painful expression that appeared on Watanuki's face.

* * *

Please review.

Ja ne


	7. Nightmares in Wonderland

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

* * *

Chapter 6 – Nightmares in Wonderland

"_Watanuki was laying under a large tree, just staring at the sky. It was peaceful and nothing but fields of grass surrounded him on all sides for miles at end. _

_He sat up when he felt a cold wind blow through the leaves and shivered quietly. Watanuki slowly got to his feet and looked around. The field was suddenly covered in darkness and the sky was no longer visible from the shadows. _

"_What's happening?" Watanuki whispered as he felt an unknown fear grip at his heart. The grass around him slowly began to freeze and spread towards him. Watanuki backed up until his back was against the tree. The freezing continued until it was at his feet and Watanuki soon realized that he too was being turned into a black of ice. _

_Watanuki tried to move his feet, but he was frozen to the ground. The ice spread until he was completely covered. Watanuki tried to scream, but his voice wouldn't come out and then darkness consumed him. _

_When Watanuki opened his eyes again, there was something holding him down. He looked at his hands and then realized that his wrists were stuck to some sort of web._

'_A spider web!' he thought. As soon as the thought registered in his head, a large wave of panic passed through his body. The spider queen had been the one who devour the sight in his eye, leaving him blind in his eye. He heard a cruel laughter and turned around to see what he had been dreading to see._

_The spider queen._

"_I could just eat you up," she whispered. She continued to advance on Watanuki until she was right in front of him. She opened her mouth and bit into his neck. Watanuki let out a loud scream of pain. _

_The spider queen pulled away, her lips full of blood. She licked the blood away and continued to stare at her prey. _

"_So delicious," she whispered and then she leaned back down and bit him again. The darkness was soon filled with Watanuki's loud screams of pain as he was slowly devoured._

* * *

Watanuki opened his eyes and let out a huge cry of pain. Warm arms immediately wrapped around his body and Watanuki was instantly overcome with a sense of calmness.

"Watanuki-kun?" called the worried voice of Himawari. Watanuki looked at the girl and then moaned in pain. Mugetsu yipped in worry and kissed Watanuki's face. Himawari tried to touch Watanuki once again, but Mugetsu sensed her approaching presence and tried to bite her fingers.

"Can't you see that I'm worried about him?" Himawari complained in annoyance as Mugetsu once again prevented her from touching her friend. Mugetsu hissed angrily. Watanuki observed the scene without a word and then slowly processed everything in his haze filled mind.

'_If Himawari is there…then who's holding me…" _Watanuki thought. He tilted his head upwards and then saw Doumeki's golden eyes.

"Doumeki…" he mumbled. He struggled out of the archer's grasp and sat up using his own strength. He looked around tiredly and then put a hand on his head.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You had a nightmare," Doumeki responded. Watanuki's eyes widened when he remembered the dream he had. The feeling that he was being eaten alive wouldn't leave him. Watanuki wrapped his arms around his torso and tried to push away the horrible feeling that he felt. As if sensing his inner turmoil, Doumeki once again wrapped his arms around the other boy.

"What did you dream of?" Doumeki questioned.

"The spiders…they were eating me alive. It hurts so much," Watanuki answered in a soft voice. The grip around him tightened and then the harrowing feeling in Watanuki's soul finally went away. He relaxed in Doumeki's hold.

Himawari smiled at both of them and clasped her hands together before putting a dreamy look on his face.

"Doumeki-kun and Watanuki-kun are such good friends," she cheered. Watanuki remained quiet instead of shouting out in denial about the comment like usual. Watanuki shivered and clung into Doumeki's sleeve.

"Are you cold?" Doumeki questioned.

Watanuki slowly nodded and closed his eyes. Doumeki picked up the tired boy and then stood.

"Where are you going?" Himawari said.

"I'm bringing him home. There's no point for him to stay if he's feeling so ill," Doumeki responded as he began to walk away. Himawari tried to say something, but the ability of words suddenly left her and she could only watch as they left her behind.

* * *

Doumeki entered the shrine and placed Watanuki in the room he had used the previous night.

Watanuki slowly opened his eyes and breathed slowly before grabbing Doumeki's sleeve again as he was placed on the futon. Doumeki observed him with calm eyes.

"Stay," Watanuki mumbled.

Doumeki's eyes went wide, but it didn't take long before his expressionless figure returned to normal. He placed his arms around Watanuki and then pulled the covers over himself and Watanuki.

It didn't take long for both of them to fall asleep. There was even a smile on Watanuki's face as he regained some color on his skin.

* * *

_Watanuki once again found himself sitting in a quiet filled field under a tree. Watanuki looked at his surrounding with a frightening expression. The last time he was here, the trip hadn't been so pleasant._

_A hand was placed on Watanuki's shoulder and Watanuki screamed out in fright. He turned around and saw the familiar figure of Haruka. The man had a cigarette between his lips and he gave Watanuki a calm look. _

"_You don't need to worry. This isn't a bad dream like the one you had before," Haruka stated. Watanuki relaxed and then watched as Haruka sat beside him. _

"_Do you enjoy our time together?" Haruka questioned. _

_Watanuki smiled kindly and quickly nodded his head. _

"_I enjoy speaking with you, Haruka-san," Watanuki responded quietly. He placed his head on Haruka's lap and closed his eyes. _

_Haruka smiled and passed his fingers through Watanuki's hair. Watanuki relaxed under the peaceful ministrations. _

"_You should tell him," Haruka said. Watanuki knew what he meant. _

"_I don't want to," he replied. _

"_Then you'll die."_

"_So be it."_

_Haruka stopped what he was doing and gave Watanuki a sad look. _

"_Is that your decision?" he whispered. Watanuki nodded his head slowly. _

"_Yeah," he answered. _

"_Are you sure?" _

"_Completely. There are up sides to all of this. I won't have to slave away for Yuko by doing away all the cooking and the cleaning. I won't be chased around by spirits anymore and then there's…finally going to be peace and quiet in my life," Watanuki said as he began to list things off. Even though he continued to talk, a trail of tears were leaking down Watanuki's face._

* * *

Please review.

Ja ne


	8. Secret Exit

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

I've decided that I won't update until I have at least 5 reviews for each chapter. I feel like there are not many people interested in reading this story, so I want to hear your comments if possible. Thank you in advance.

* * *

Chapter 7 – Secret Exit 

Watanuki awoke feeling slightly better then he had the previous night. He looked beside him and saw the sleeping form of Doumeki. Watanuki smiled and lifted himself from the futon before standing up completely.

"I'll be back," he whispered to Doumeki's sleeping form. Watanuki grabbed some things from his school bag and hastily exited the room. After that, he slowly made his way out of the temple.

* * *

Doumeki opened his eyes and waited for his senses to return to him. The first thing that registered in his mind was that he was alone on the futon and Watanuki was nowhere in sight. The archer quickly sat up and threw the blankets off of him. He got up and rushed out of the room in the hopes finding the wandering boy. 

The moment Doumeki entered the hall a sweet smell filled his nose and his stomach growled angrily. Doumeki put a hand on his grumbling stomach and sighed. He hadn't eaten since lunch the previous day and he was absolutely starving. Doumeki followed his nose and it wasn't surprising when he arrived in the kitchen and saw Watanuki in an apron.

"You're finally awake," Watanuki said without turning around.

"Hm," Doumeki replied.

"You sleep like the dead when you're tired," Watanuki added as he continued to cook.

"What are you making?" Doumeki asked.

"Pancakes."

"Hm."

An awkward silence once again filled the kitchen as Watanuki continued to cook. When he was done, Watanuki placed all the things needed on the table and they both sat down before they began to eat in silence. Watanuki watched as Doumeki ate.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Doumeki questioned. Watanuki had only taken a few bites out of his meal.

"Not hungry," was the answer received.

"You should eat. You have to keep up your strength if you want to fight off the curse," Doumeki said as he observed Watanuki's reactions to the statement. A small smile appeared on Watanuki's lips and Doumeki felt a foreboding feeling grasp at his heart. The cursed boy crossed his arms and leaned his head on the table.

"I'm not going to fight it," he said.

"Why?" Doumeki shouted.

"Because I don't feel like it. This secret is precious to me. I wish to keep it until I die. After I die, it won't matter who knows…" Watanuki answered. A hurt look crossed Doumeki's features and he stood up abruptly. He approached Watanuki's side and grabbed his collar before lifting him up from the chair with his superior strength. Watanuki winced in pain.

"You aren't going to die! You're not! Do you hear me? So don't resign yourself to a fate that has no chance of happening!" Doumeki yelled. Watanuki was surprised by the loss of control of his best friend and looked into Doumeki's gold coloured eyes.

"There's nothing you can do anymore," he whispered. Doumeki glared and raised his fist, fully prepared to hit Watanuki, but the other boy suddenly erupted into series of coughs. Doumeki released Watanuki and the boy crumbled to the ground while covering his mouth with his hand.

A red liquid dripped from Watanuki's hands and dripped onto the ground. Doumeki's eyes went wide. Watanuki's coughing fit finally came to an end and he removed his hands covering his mouth. They were covered in a red substance.

Blood.

"I'll go wash my hands," Watanuki whispered as he stood and headed for the kitchen sink, but Doumeki grabbed one of the blood stained hands and held him back.

"We're going to see Yuko!" Doumeki announced as he began to pull the other boy along, but Watanuki pulled his hand back from the archer's grasp.

"At least let me wash my hands," Watanuki complained as he turned back to the sink. When he finished cleaning, he turned to Doumeki and looked at the hand that had held his.

"You should wash your hands too," he said as he saw his blood on Doumeki's fingers. Doumeki sighed and did as he was told. When he was done, he turned around to show his clean hands to Watanuki, but what he saw was Watanuki holding a hand to his chest and trying to best to breathe. Doumeki rushed to Watanuki's side and wrapped his arms around him. Watanuki grabbed Doumeki's shirt and once again looked into his gold coloured eyes.

"Dou…me…ki…" Watanuki whispered before his hand fell limply to his side and he blacked out.

* * *

_"Are you sure that you won't change your mind?" asked a soft voice. Watanuki smiled calmly._

"_I'm positive Haruka-san," Watanuki responded as he looked to his left and saw the older man. Haruka gave him a worried look. _

"_We won't be able to talk anymore," he stated._

"_I know that."_

"_I liked out conversations."_

"_Me too," Watanuki whispered. _

"_This might be the last time we see each other."_

"_I know."_

"_It's such a sad thought," Haruka said. _

"_It is."_

* * *

Watanuki moaned in pain and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Doumeki's head hovering over his own. Watanuki blushed and then tilted his head away from Doumeki's piercing gaze. 

"You're finally awake," Doumeki stated.

"How long was I out?" Watanuki asked.

"About 8 hours. It's already night time," Doumeki responded. Watanuki took a deep breath and the coughed as the air aggravated hire sore throat. A cold cloth was placed on his forehead and Watanuki glanced at Doumeki, who was staring at him intently.

"Are you going to be alright by yourself for awhile?" Doumeki questioned. Watanuki slowly nodded his head and watched as Doumeki stood and quietly walked out of the room. He sensed Doumeki exit the temple and sighed tiredly. The feverish boy sat up and placed the cloth on the floor. He stood.

Watanuki grabbed his things and slowly made his way out of the shrine. Mugetsu came out of Watanuki's collar and yipped in worry. Watanuki glanced at the creature and smiled.

"Don't worry everything's going to be fine," Watanuki said. Mugetsu rubbed his furry head against Watanuki's cheek, saying that he would follow him for whatever the other boy decided. Watanuki glanced once more at the temple before he descended the stairs.

* * *

Doumeki ran as fast as he could, not bothering to apologize when he bumped into someone. It didn't take long before he found himself standing in front of the familiar shop that had began Watanuki's adventure. He walked through the gates and saw the two girls, Maru and Moro, waiting for him at the gate. 

"Mistress is waiting for you," Moro said.

"She is waiting," Maru repeated.

* * *

Please review. 

Ja ne


	9. Talk with Yuko

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

* * *

Chapter 8 – Talk with Yuko

"I thought you'd come earlier," Yuko said when Doumeki entered the room. It was just the two of them. Mokona had retreated with Maru and Moro.

"I had to make sure that Watanuki was going to be okay alone before I left," Doumeki answered calmly, though Yuko could tell that he was in utter turmoil on the inside.

"Maybe you should have stayed with him instead of coming here to speak to me," Yuko said. Doumeki quietly shook his head.

"I had to come and ask you. Ask you if there was a way to prevent his death," Doumeki said.

"There is only one way and you already know of it. There is no other way apart from that one," Yuko responded as she placed her cigarette between her lips.

"There has to be another way! Watanuki refused to tell me. He says he's going to take his secret with him when he dies! He's going to die if nothing is done!" Doumeki shouted, finally loosing his cool under all the stress he had experienced over the past few days. Yuko looked straight into Doumeki's eyes and gave him a sad look that held a serious feel to it.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do," Yuko whispered. Doumeki frowned.

"That can't be! You've always been able to help. I'll do anything for him to survive. I'll give you any price you wish!" Doumeki begged. Yuko sighed.

"Don't say those words so carelessly. You might regret them later on. Some prices are too great to part with. Unfortunately, this is completely out of my hands and I can nothing but observe at this point. If there had been something I could do, the price would have been too great. Even for you," Yuko said as she continued to stare at him.

"I would have done anything to save him. At any cost," Doumeki answered.

"Even if the cost had been your relationship together? Would you really be able to do that? To leave him and never see him again," Yuko stated. Doumeki tensed and then looked away.

"If that would save him then I would do it," Doumeki mumbled.

"Even if it break you?" Yuko asked.

"Yes."

Yuko smiled and stood from where she had been sitting.

"Then go after him. He's left the shrine and is heading somewhere," Yuko announced. Doumeki and glared at the space time witch.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier!" he shouted before he rushed out of the slope. Yuko watched him leave, a sad expression etched on her face.

"Please save him. Save Watanuki before it's too late," she whispered quietly.

* * *

Watanuki quietly made his way through the streets, leaning on the fence once in awhile to rest. Mugetsu yipped as Watanuki 's breathing became harsher and then swayed once more on his feet.

"I'm fine. I just need to get home," Watanuki whispered. It was true that he needed rest, but he didn't want to be a burden to Doumeki. He continued to walk until he reached his apartment building and quietly unlocked the door to his small home.

"Home, sweet home," he mumbled.

Watanuki took out his futon from the closest and slowly set it up in a corner near the window. Watanuki lay down and closed his eyes in the hopes of getting some sleep.

* * *

Doumeki rushed through the streets, desperately searching for his wandering friend.

"Where could he have gone?" Doumeki said. He passed in front of the building where Watanuki lived and stopped walking for a moment. His eyes stared at the structure and sighed.

"I should check here too," Doumeki whispered.

* * *

Watanuki heard a sound come from the balcony window and slightly turned his head to the window. The sick boy saw a shadow behind the curtain and smiled.

"Can't you ever you the front door?" he whispered.

The window opened and Doumeki jumped into the room, a frown on his face.

"Why did you leave?" Doumeki asked. Watanuki turned his head back to stare at the ceiling. Doumeki watched him with the usual expressionless mask.

"I don't like being a burden to those around me. I've lived all my life all by myself and I'm somewhat unaccustomed to all the attention. I think I'll just stay here until my time runs out," Watanuki whispered. Doumeki frowned at this and quietly sat down next to the sick teen.

"You're not going to die," Doumeki stated.

"You sound just like Haruka-san. He said the same thing to me, but eventually he too gave into my decision," Watanuki explained. Doumeki frowned angrily, but Watanuki missed the look of rage in Doumeki's gaze when he closed his eyes.

"Grandfather said that?" Doumeki said. Watanuki slowly nodded even though his eyes were still closed.

"He was trying so hard to tell me that I should tell you the secret, but I wouldn't listen to him. He kept on trying to convince me," Watanuki added as he thought back to the older man that had constantly visited his dreams.

"You should listen to him," Doumeki replied.

"No."

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Doumeki questioned.

"I don't know. It's one of those things that can't be explained. I know I'm going to die. I've been prepared. Deep in my mind, I always knew that my death would be would be caused by one of the spirits that haunt me. I've always known," Watanuki stated as he slowly opened his eyes. He tilted his head sideways and looked into Doumeki's golden eyes.

"Is this the end for you. You're really going to give up?" Doumeki questioned as his expression turned serious. Watanuki smiled calmly.

"I resigned myself to my fate. That's all there's left for me to do," Watanuki replied. Doumeki sighed.

"Just go to sleep," he ordered. Watanuki coughed a few times, but he listened to the archer and closed his eyes once again. It didn't take long for the teen to fall asleep.

For a long moment, Doumeki watched as Watanuki slept. The irregular rise and fall of his chest and the deep flush on his cheeks only helped remind Doumeki that Watanuki's illness had taken a turn for the worst.

Doumeki knew that Watanuki didn't have much time left in this world. His condition had worsened so quickly and Doumeki could already estimate how much time was left for the other teen. A day or two at the maximum was probably all he had left.

"I won't let you die…I can't," Doumeki whispered.

The archer reached out for Watanuki's hand and winced when he icy coldness of the other's skin touched him. Watanuki's skin was pale, almost as if he were on the borderline between life and death.

"Doumeki…" Watanuki mumbled in his sleep.

The archer smiled sadly, knowing that no one would be able to see the expression on his face.

Mugetsu slithered out of Watanuki's clothes and rubbed his head against Doumeki's hand. The archer petted the Kudakitsune's head and then looked into Watanuki's pale face.

"I'm going to save you. I promise you that. If Yuko can't do anything, then I'll do my best to find a cure for you on my own," Doumeki vowed as he looked into the face of his ill stricken friend.

* * *

Please review. 


	10. Hidden Letters

Disclaimer: I don't own xxxHolic.

I did the disclaimer wrong so I've now fixed it.

I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. From now on update when I can. I won't wait for a certain amount of reviews anymore. Once again, I'm sorry for the trouble. I feel really bad because of it. I'm sorry.

* * *

Chapter 9 - Hidden Letters

Doumeki sat there, watching Watanuki sleep until he himself grew tired. The archer stood and stretched his sore muscles before slowly walking out of the room. He had decided to take a walk in the hopes of clearing his head and getting some fresh air.

He wandered around for a long time until he stopped in front of the post office.

'_I might as well get the mail since I'm here at the moment_,' Doumeki thought as he entered the building.

A man sat at the counter, staring out of the window in boredom. When he noticed Doumeki's presence, he sat up and then gave the stranger a polite smile.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Is there any mail?" Doumeki responded in his usual neutral tone. The man asked for his address and once it was given, began to look through a bag.

A few minutes passed and the worker stopped shuffling. He pulled out a pack of letter that had been held together by a rubber elastic. He handed them to Doumeki, who gladly accepted them. He removed the elastic and glanced at the name of all the senders. A confused look appeared on Doumeki's face when he came across a letter with no name or return address.

"Do you know about this?" Doumeki questioned as he showed the letter to the postman. The envelope only contained his name and address in neatly printed letters.

The postman glanced at the letter and his face brightened when he remembered.

"Oh that! Some guy came in yesterday and wrote a letter in here before giving it for me to send. Though he left strange instructions. He said to mail the letter a week after he gave it, which is kind of odd, but since you're here it'd be easier to give it to you now," came the explanation. Doumeki frowned and once again looked at the print. The writing seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't seem to place the handwriting in his mind. Doumeki turned to the postman once more.

"Do you remember what he looked like?" he asked.

The postman thought for a moment before he nodded his head.

"I remember. It's kind of hard to forget a face like his. When I saw him, I couldn't help but feel pity towards him," he answered.

"A boy?" Doumeki asked.

"Yes. He was extremely ill. He kept on coughing and he appeared to be so cold that his lips were turning blue," the postman explained.

Doumeki nodded and quietly exited the post office. The brief description of the sender had immediately told Doumeki who the actual sender was.

Watanuki.

Watanuki had sent the letter.

When?

Doumeki had no clue, but it didn't matter very much. The archer found a bench and sat down. He placed the letters in his pocket, but kept the one that had been given to him by the sick boy.

'_I wonder why he asked to send this letter a week later_?' Doumeki thought as he carefully opened the letter. He pulled out a packet of sheets that also contained Watanuki's neat handwriting.

He began to read.

_Dear Shizuka Doumeki,_

_If you're reading this letter then I'm long gone at this time. You might be saddened by my departure or you could be happy. I don't know. After all, I'm dead so I wouldn't know how you feel at the moment, right?_

_If you're happy with my death, then I suggest that you stop reading now. Because if you don't care then why should you listen to any of the works spoken by a dead man. Also if you're happy with my death then well... screw you._

Doumeki smiled as he read the last part. It did sound as if Watanuki would say something like that. Though he frowned when he understood the reason why Watanuki had asked the letter to be sent at a later date.

'_He speaks as if he is already dead_,' Doumeki thought. He turned back to the letter and began to read again.

_If you are at least a little saddened by my death then I thank you for caring. Though you shouldn't be burdened with my death. That was not my intention. I'm not afraid of death; so don't make a big deal out of it. I've been ready for this moment for a long time._

_Anyways, if you're still interested in learning the reason why I didn't tell you my secret then you should continue until the end. If not then stop reading right now._

Doumeki rolled his eyes and then continued to read. There was no way he'd stop reading when he was finally so close to the truth.

_Are you still reading? I guess you are. I kind of suspected it since you always liked to know everything that happened to me. Like that time I got sick because of the spirit I hung around with. I'd like to think that you were worried about me, about how I was close to dying at the time. I was fine with dying at that time too. Maybe a little relieved too. There has always been so much pain┘rejection┘sadness┘that maybe I just wanted it to end. I couldn't leave that spirit alone. I kept on seeing her even though little by little she was killing me. I even ignored the warning Yuko gave me, but you were the one who worried the most┘You cared and even went as far as to prevent me from going to meet her. In the end, you ended up killing her with your arrow._

_At first, I was angry for what you did. We were both lonely, her and I, but when she died, she told me that she wasn't lonely anymore. Then she told me that there was someone who still needed me. Someone that didn't want me to die. Was that you? At first I didn't know how to react, but Yuko explained it all to me. She said it was up to me to decide what to do with you. In the end, we ended up going back to our regular schedule. Though it was hilarious to watch your eyes widen in shock and then turn back into your usual emotionless expression._

_Many things have happened between you and me, like that time with the spider queen, but I guess recalling that wouldn't be a good idea. After all, it's not everyday that you watch someone eat your sight. It was creepy._

_You've helped me in so many ways. You paid the price for bringing me back to life after I fell out of the school window. Yuko told me what the price was for you. You had to replace all the blood that I had lost with your own. I'm thankful for that. I really am. Though, Yuko never told me what price Himawari had to pay. At this point, it doesn't really matter._

_Now to get on with what the whole purpose of this letter was._

_The truth was that┘I never hated you. I don't know when the game of falsity began, but I guess at one point it became a second nature. People say that there's a thin line between love and hate. The shouting was like a mask to hide my true feelings._

_The truth is that my secret is precious to me. I am, after all, dead because of it, but now I'm going to tell you. The truth is┘is that┘I love you. I guess I always have. I might have shattered your world with my confession, but I guess I just really wanted to tell you even though it's too late. I guess I'm just a coward._

_I'm sorry for everything and I hope you live a peaceful life. Goodbye._

_Sincerely,_

_Kimihiro Watanuki_

Doumeki stared at the letter and then quickly read it over. For the first time in awhile, a smile appeared on his face. It wasn't a smirk, but a true smile.

"That idiot," he whispered. Doumeki stood and rushed into the distance in the hopes of reaching Watanuki's side before it was too late.

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Please Review.

Ja ne


	11. Is it too Late?

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

I would like to thank all those who reviewed. I really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

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Chapter 10 – Is it too late

Watanuki coughed and quietly rolled onto his side in the hopes of taking away some of the pain he felt. It was useless. Spasms of pain wracked through the thin boy's body. Watanuki winced and then looked at the ceiling. His vision was blurry and he could feel his body slowly shutting down on him. He felt so cold and yet he was buried under a mountain of blankets.

'_I can't believe that I'm going to die all alone,' _Watanuki thought sadly. He knew that Doumeki had left to get some fresh air and wouldn't be back for a while.

"I feel so sick," Watanuki mumbled before he broke off into another series of coughs. The sick boy closed his eye and let his consciousness wander around as his life flickered between life and death.

Suddenly the front door opened and Watanuki was forced to turn and look at the intruder. He saw an extremely breathless Doumeki, which meant that the archer had run all the way here. Watanuki forced a smile.

"So now you decide to use the door," he whispered sarcastically. He tried to laugh, but the laugh was quickly swallowed by another series of severe coughs.

Doumeki immediately rushed to his side, but Watanuki stopped coughing. He gave the archer a relieved look.

"I thought you'd never come back," Watanuki murmured. Doumeki said nothing and quickly lifted up the letter to the sick boy's line of vision. Watanuki instantly recognized his handwriting and tensed up. Though not a sound passed his lips.

"Can you explain this to me?" Doumeki asked.

"How did you get that?" Watanuki whispered as he looked away in shame.

"I was in front of the mail station so I got all the mail that had been sent to me," Doumeki explained.

"Did you read it?" Watanuki questioned as a light blush stained his already flushed cheeks.

"Yes."

"You must be laughing at me now," Watanuki whispered.

"Why would I?"

"Because I know you don't feel the same!"

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"About what you feel?"

Watanuki blushed and turned his head away. He hadn't coughed for a while so that meant that his secret was already out.

"It's true…" he began. However, the rest of Watanuki's sentence was swallowed up as Doumeki's lips touched his. Watanuki's eyes went wide as the archer's body moved on top of him. Doumeki pulled away and Watanuki gasped and breathed in he air that his lungs had been searching for. Doumeki straddled his body with his hands on either side of Watanuki's head.

"What are you doing?" Watanuki asked, still breathless from the kiss.

"Don't decided things for me. I can't believe you almost died for something so incredibly stupid," Doumeki replied. Watanuki blushed and then his eyes went wide. Doumeki watched in horror as Watanuki's eyes dilated and the boy began to spasm under him. The boy's back arched for a moment before he fell limply to the ground, his eyes closed. Doumeki checked the boy's pulse and found that the usual beating was missing. Watanuki's skin even turned colder underneath Doumeki's touch.

"Watanuki!" Doumeki shouted as he began to shake the boy.

There was still no response.

"Please wake up!" Doumeki begged as he cradled the boy's head onto his shoulder. Before he realized what was happening, there was something wet trailing down his cheeks. He brought a hand to his cheek and ghosted his finger over the wetness.

"Am I crying?" he whispered.

Doumeki turned back to Watanuki and hid his face on the boy's cold shoulder.

"Don't die…you can't die. Can't you see that I don't want you to die…don't die…" Doumeki said quietly.

There was a pause.

"I love you."

Only silence answered his confession.

* * *

Watanuki was floating in darkness. He felt nothing, but he could almost feel a sense of quietness around him.

"Why are you here?" said a familiar voice.

Watanuki found himself unable to open his eyes, but he could still turn his head to search for where the voice was coming from.

"Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?" Watanuki asked. He heard a sigh.

"You've already forgotten. That's not good. This is the borderline between life and death," the voice answered. Watanuki couldn't seem to place the voice in his head. He wasn't even able to move from his laying position.

"Forgotten? What have I forgotten? Was it important?" Watanuki questioned.

"Of course it was important! Can't you hear his voice? He's calling for you, but you won't answer him. Don't you understand that if you die then my grandson will return to being the emotionless shell that he had been before he met you," the voice whispered.

"Your grandson?"

"Listen for him, Watanuki. Listen to his plea!" the voice begged.

Watanuki listened sadly and then he heard a small whisper. The words had been spoken too softly to be understood, but Watanuki felt a pull towards the voice. He tried to listen harder until he could somewhat understand the words being said.

"Don't die…"

As he heard the voice, a strange light appeared in the distance and even though his eyes were closed, he was able to see the bright light.

"It's so bright," he whispered.

"Remember!" yelled the voice that had been speaking to him before. Watanuki stifled a scream as unfamiliar memories flooded his mind. All the images that had forgotten came back to him in a rush.

The soft voice called out to him again.

"Watanuki!" he begged.

Watanuki's eyes snapped open and he could only think of one word. The name slipped off his tongue as his eyes snapped open.

"Shizuka!"

The darkness began to fade and for a moment, Watanuki could have sworn that he saw Haruka in the darkness.

"Go to him…" whispered the voice that had lead him back to life.

* * *

Doumeki almost yelled out in shock when he felt a cold hand touch his cheek. He pulled back and was instantly shocked to see the smiling face of Watanuki. Doumeki couldn't fight back the relieved smile that appeared on his face. Doumeki moved his hand to cover Watanuki's hand, which was still on his cheek.

"You were crying," he whispered. Doumeki remained quiet and nuzzled his face into the cold hand.

"You came back," he said. Watanuki's smile widened.

"I heard you calling…"

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Next chapter is the epilogue.

Please Review.

Ja ne


	12. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own XXXHolic.

For those still reading, I would like like to thank you all for putting up with me during the course of this story. Thank you very much. This is the last chapter of Cursed, so I hoped you enjoy it.

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Epilogue

It didn't take long for Watanuki to regain his health, though he still had time off from his part-time job at Yuko's shop because she had given him an extended vacation, which he found surprising. The time witch had always forced him to work even when he was feeling down.

Today was the first day Watanuki was going back to school. He awoke at his usual time and prepared lunch for both himself and Doumeki. He got dressed in his school uniform and headed out. He walked until he reached the temple steps where Doumeki was quietly waiting for him.

"Are you done all your chores?" Watanuki asked.

"I finished a little earlier," Doumeki responded. Watanuki nodded and they both walked towards school in silence. Suddenly Doumeki stopped walking and Watanuki stopped in his own tracks to look at the archer.

"What's wrong?" Watanuki questioned.

"I found this when I was looking through the store house," Doumeki responded as he handed Watanuki a small box. Watanuki took the box and quietly opened it before looking inside to see the contents. It was a necklace. It was a blue coloured stone on a silver coloured chain. Watanuki carefully observed the gem and his eyes widened when he saw it begin to glow.

"It's a special stone. My grandfather called it a spirit stone. He said it repels spirits. I want to give it to you," Doumeki explained. Watanuki looked at the precious jewel and then looked at Doumeki with a worried look.

"I can't accept this," Watanuki said as he tried to hand the box back to Doumeki.

"Keep it," Doumeki ordered. He removed the pendant from the box and then placed it around Watanuki's neck. The boy blushed as the metal touched the skin of his neck.

"Thank you," Watanuki whispered as his fingers ghosted over the chain.

"That also means that your wish has been granted!" said a loud voice from behind him. Mugetsu exited out of Watanuki's shirt and squeaked at something behind Watanuki. Watanuki turned around and saw the familiar figure of Yuko.

"Yuko-san!" Watanuki exclaimed.

"Your wish has finally been granted," she answered. Watanuki gave her a confused look.

"My wish?"

"Your wish for the spirits to leave you alone has finally been granted. As long as you wear that necklace, they will never bother you again," Yuko explained. She didn't even bother to listen to Watanuki's response because she turned around and walked away.

"Though I still expect you to come to work because you need to pay off all your other payments you've accumulated from working under me," was all she said before she disappeared from their line of view.

Watanuki sighed and then glared at the spot where Yuko had been.

"That woman will never leave me alone," Watanuki complained. Even though he was complaining, there was a small smiled on his face. Doumeki approached the other boy and tapped him on the head.

"That reminds me…" Doumeki began. Watanuki looked up at the archer.

"What?"

"Do you want to come and live with me at the temple? My parents don't actually live here, so I'm usually here alone. I used to live with my grandfather until he passed away," Doumeki announced. Watanuki went quiet for a moment and then he smiled before placing a kiss on Doumeki's cheek.

"I would love to come and live with me," he announced. Doumeki actually smiled and they both continued to walk on to school.

"When you move in, I expect you to make all the meals," Doumeki stated. Watanuki smiled.

"I kind of expected that. You can't cook to save your life. That's why your cupboards were filled with ramen cups. Don't try to hide it! I saw them!" Watanuki shouted.

The couple returned to their usual schedule, happy with their relationship together. Even though they still refused to say their feelings to each other, they both knew how the other felt even though no words were spoken. That was enough for them.

OWARI

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That's the end. Please review.

Ja ne


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